Winterization of hot water heater?

any ideas how I can get the anode/drain plug out? I always took it out until last winter when I couldnt budge it, Its 16 yrs old and ive replaced the rod many times. I and hesitant to really crank on it fo fear of breaking something. Winter is coming up again and id liek to drain it this year if I Can.

Don't do what I did,...twice.
If you have used your fresh water holding tank,....at all,.....be sure to drain it of course, but also, run the water pump, until dry. This gets the water out of the line between the fresh water tank and the water pump. Otherwise the one-way valve (usually plastic) will crack when frozen. That turns it into a leaky two way valve. Not good.

Well, I don’t wash and wax the inside of my hot water tank, like some folks do apparently, but if one is so inclined, after draining, blow out the lines again. On mine at least, it would push out considerably more water that wouldn’t gravity drain.

jimh425 wrote:
I just pull/tape the wires because I’m already there when I drain the water. I’m not saying it is the only way, but it does work.

That sounds like a Suburban where element is accessible from outside compartment

Atwood....not so much
Element in backside and access can be slim to none


This model year Atwood moved the element to front (outside compartment) but on the 6 gal standard and the XT 9 gal models
But at least it's a start!
Now all major components are in outside compartment

I just pull/tape the wires because I’m already there when I drain the water. I’m not saying it is the only way, but it does work.

Instead of removing wiring from element just open the 120VAC Circuit Breaker
Or if an Atwood (2004 to present) pull the 2A fuse on circuit board

I made a tank rinser out off flexible tubing and rise the tank out when I winterize. There is a fair amount of mineral build up that will come out if you never rinsed the tank before. There is also water in the bottom of the tank that won't drain out that I siphon out with a small plastic tube then put the plug in and blow the entire water system out with compressed air. If you have an electric element in the tank follow Jim's advice. I forgot to do this one year and my electric element burned in half. Half is still in the bottom of my tank.

I disconnect one pos/negative connections and tape them up individually ... just to make sure that I/wife don’t accidentally turn it on with no water.

If you have an anode, replace it.

Check your water heater too
Not sure why you would need a hot water heater?

Bypass Water Heater so any anti-freeze pumped thru plumbing lines does not go into water heater
Then remove Anode Rod (SUBURBAN BRAND ONLY---steel tank)
Drain water heater
Then reinstall anode rod to protect threads from rusting and from spiders/bugs from setting up house


Anode rod 'half' gone......replace with new one next season